'No hay chocolate'

After the barracks we stopped for some cooling ice cream at a little roadside cafe.  Here we paid in MN - moneda nacional - also called Cuban pesos.  Confusingly, there are two currencies in Cuba - MN or Cuban pesos, which is what state salaries are paid in, and convertible pesos, which is the hard currency you can only really get access to if tourists pay you for things.  Most Cubans we met had two or more jobs: their state job, such as teacher, lawyer, doctor (giving them Cuban pesos) and any number of other jobs such as renting out a room or two in their house or operating as a taxi driver for tourists - giving them access to hard currency.  Most families try to have someone with a second job so they can receive convertible pesos.  When it comes to buying things in shops, some products are bought with Cuban pesos, and anything remotely 'luxury' needs to be paid for in convertibles.  This is includes soap and toiletries.  Not really luxury.

It's standard practice in state owned restaurants like this cafe to have long lists of dishes in a menu, but only two or three available at any one time.  Here, the waitress is asking CDD what the English is for 'no hay chocolate' (there's no chocolate) as chocolate ice cream is a popular choice with tourists but rarely available despite being on the menu.  All very Cuban.